teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Sunday 29 June 2014

A Good Snapshot Or A Total Wash Out?

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” 

― Eudora Welty


Pics of another Christmas make I haven't shared before or rather snapshots full of memories.  I made 3 of these laminated wash bags as gifts for guys and don't you just love this masculine camera laminated fabric?  It's Cameras by Michael Miller Fabrics.


Laminated inside and out - perfect for a quick wipe clean


and even a guy can use a pack of man tissues in his travel bag.


Not a total washout even if I say so myself.

Speaking of laminated wash bags and tissue covers, yesterday I taught a class of wonderful ladies at The City Quilter in Manhattan how to make laminated wash bags and tissue covers for themselves.  All the ladies were new to sewing zippers, one of the ladies hadn't touched a sewing machine for over 20 years - since she was at school - and no-one had sewn with laminated fabric before.  


Students chose to make any size bag, from wash bag to cosmetic bag or even a tiny lipstick/coin change bag - the technique's the same whatever the size and they got to take my detailed written instructions home with them.


It was a really fun day and I think everyone got over their fear of zippers and laminates.


By the end of the day here's what everyone had produced and it was wonderful to see how excited they all were with their handiwork and I was an incredibly proud teacher :D

Have you tried sewing with laminated fabrics, what have you made?


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28 comments:

  1. I have not, and I am a chicken to be honest :) Even though I could use a wash bag, of two, or three myself... Your guy one looks fantastic, Chrissie!

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  2. These bags are wonderful! Do you laminate your own fabric?

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    1. I have laminated my own fabric Vicki - with both gloss and matt finish products. I'm not a fan - it's easy enough to use and looks great when you first laminate it to the flat fabric but first the needle pierces it in a more noticeable/damaging way than it does on the ready bought laminates and it crinkles and then it gets fold marks in use - looks dreadful once you turn an inside out washbag make through the zipper to the right side :(

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  3. I'm so impressed with those fantastic wash bags, it would never occur to me to try this! Is laminated fabric thinner than the plastic table covers?

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    1. Apols for replying so late Fran - just found a handful of comments from June/July that I haven't replied to. You may have done your own research by now but wanted to let you know that I haven't tried using a plastic table cloth to make the bags and as I don't have one of them I can't evaluate how the weights of the two compare. What I do know though is that the laminated fabric can be used as a table cloth. The laminated fabric is just your regular quilting weight cotton with a very thin plastic coating on the top - it's still very flexible, I don't know what the table cloth fabric is like and how it sews through a machine. Hope this helps just a little - Chris :D

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  4. I have made a wash bag similar to your boxy one with laminate and it goes everywhere with me. My son has just requested one of his own too, so I will be on the lookout for some manly laminate fabric like yours!

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  5. Beautiful boxy pouches - the one with Eiffel towers is my favorite :)

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  6. Love that fabric! Laminated fabric is tough to find in my local shops and there's definitely nothing as lovely as those! I love making boxy totes. They're just so darned useful!

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  7. Your man bags are a great gift idea - one I ust remember. Your class turned out some beautiful bags too. xx

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  8. Anyone is gorgeous.Love them all!!

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  9. Looks great Chrissie! If you offer the workshop again, let me know and I'll take the train to NYC.

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    1. Found a handful of comments I hadn't replied to from June/July (when I was back in England) turns out the wait means I can bring you news Nancy - I'm teaching the class again on Tuesday, 21 April 2015 - 12 noon to 6pm. Registration's not open until December so it's just a 'Save The Date' for now. Hope you can make it, it would be great to have you there - Chris :D

      My Class Schedule @The City Quilter

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  10. Love that these are for guys...not a lot of really fun prints for them!

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  11. These are absolutely gorgeous!

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  12. Love these, hard to find the fabrics- great class

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  13. Well done! Each of the bags is really cute. You are obviously a wonderful teacher, Chrissie!

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    1. Thanks Lorna, I do my best and my students come back again and again so hopefully they think so too!!! - Chris :D

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  14. These are wonderful! Love all the colors!

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  15. That fabric is so cool, my daughter is studying photography, I think I need to make her something from it!

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  16. Hi Chris I've followed your link from the And Sew We Craft Together party. Great job on the guys wash bags, and your students have done amazing work too - so many pretty colours there!

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  17. Do you have a pattern for your wash bag? I'm interested

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    1. Hi Miriam, apologies for the late response I've just discovered a handful of comments from June/July I've not replied to. The pattern I use when teaching my classes is my own and I'm thinking of putting it out for sale at some point in the future. In case I decided to go down this path I won't be creating a free blog tute for it for now. Hopefully you can find something similar out there on the internet that you can use - Chris :D

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  18. Stopping by from Anything Goes Monday.. We should title you the LINKY Queen.. I watched you make it and its great

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  19. Your washbags are wonderful and that fabric is brilliant. I am so impressed with all the bags the ladies made, they obviously had a fantastic teacher.
    Ali xx

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  20. I love, love, love box bags - I use them mostly as project bags for my sock knitting, and they are fabulous in my suitcase when I go on vacation. I have yet to try laminated fabric - but you are inspiring me to give it a try!! Thanks-you.

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  21. Never thought of guy tissues before, but why not. The camera fabric is perfect.

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I love to hear from everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and share your thoughts. Please leave a message to let me know you visited, it's a great way to get to know you all better too :)

Chris Dodsley


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